Many attempts have been made to formulate effective odor removal systems and various consumer products are now available for combating odorous compounds. Some products are designed to cover up odors by emitting stronger, more dominant odors. Examples of such consumer products include scented air freshener sprays and candles.
Another means for combatting malodorous compounds, including ammonia, methyl mercaptan, trimethylamine, and other various sulfides and amines, is to remove these compounds from a medium by deodorizing agents that will absorb these compounds. In this regard consumer products may also include activated charcoal and sodium bicarbonate, two compounds commonly used to absorb odors. However, activated charcoal typically has a low deodorizing ability, especially for ammonia odors and when in the presence of moisture. Furthermore, the black color of charcoal lacks aesthetically pleasing characteristics and often is prohibitive for its usage in visually exposed product applications.
Sodium bicarbonate, and other white odor absorbents such as silica gel and zeolites, generally have a lower absorbency than activated charcoal and are therefore less effective. Titanium oxide particles are also useful in removing a few odors such as ammonia. It has been recognized that adding zinc oxy or silicon oxy compounds to the titanium oxide broadens the titanium oxide deodorizing capabilities. However, this approach is still limited by the photocatalytic nature of the titanium dioxide, which requires light in order to convert odorous compounds into non-odorous compounds.
In addition to the need to remove foul smelling compounds, there is also a need for products capable of removing gases that, while not necessarily malodorous, still might cause a negative effect. There is a further need for a gas and/or odor removal/neutralizing compound that is effective both dry and in solution. There is still a further need for an effective odor removal/neutralizing compound that can be used in various industrial and consumer products and that can be easily applied to various surfaces and materials.
In this regard, it has been determined that malodors may often be caused by numerous chemistries from a product manufacturing environment, and that methods that are somewhat effective for removing or reducing certain odors, are incapable or not well suited for the removal of others. There is therefore a need for targeted compositions for removing multiple odors.
Finally, with the addition of certain chemistries in the manufacturing processes of packaged products, such as packaged tissue or paper products, it is not uncommon for consumers to detect chemical odors upon the opening of such products prior to use of the product. Odors may accumulate in the headspace of such product packaging prior to use. For the purposes of this application, the term “headspace” shall refer to the empty space within a product packaging that does not contain the product itself, such as that empty space which lies between the product itself and the packaging, or that empty space between multiple products in a package. For example, for bathroom tissue and towel products, the headspace will include the space inside the hollow tissue or towel core rolls. There is therefore a need for a composition and method for removing such odors from product packaging, and in particular product packaging headspace, so as to provide consumers with a more satisfying experience in using such products. It is to such needs that the current invention is directed.